For the most recent letter please see here.

Autumn 2004

This letter is a bit late this year, so I have renamed it 'Autumn' rather than ' Harvest'.

The summer has been a bit odd this year. Its actually been quite wet - but also reasonably warm with no really prolonged spell of bad weather.

There has been some freak weather in places, the most noticeable giving rise to flash floods and serious damage and destruction to the village of Boscastle in Cornwall. Fortunately Bagshot has not suffered.

large flat fungus growing out of the base of a tree stump
The wet weather has resulted in large numbers of toadstools and fungi developing. I came home from a week's holiday in September to find our lawn covered.
Three years ago in my newsletter I described the accident rate on the road to Bracknell, a topic which has re-occurred from time to time since then - usually reporting a distinct lack of any real progress. Well, at long last a 50 mph speed limit has been introduced on the road (the A322) from the M3 roundabout to the county boundary. As well as making the junctions safer, it will also assist those living on the traveller's site in Swift Lane. Most drivers respect the new speed limit, but there is a significant minority, typically driving an executive car, who seem to think that they are above the law. I'm just waiting for the day when the police set up a radar speed trap!

In addition to the speed limit, there are also plans to alter the junction with the A30 on the north bound carriageway to do away with a blind entrance just over the brow of the railway bridge.

a large cluster of red berries on a green-leaved bush It was with great regret that I learned of the death of David Knight after a short illness. David, an expatriot living in Australia, had been a regular correspondent since the early days of the web site and had contributed many pearls of information to the 'any knowledge' page and elsewhere. I am sure you will wish to join with me in expressing sympathy to his widow and family.

Congratulations go to Bagshot’s vicar, Rev Stephen Brian, who has completed his Doctor of Philosophy. His thesis was an evaluation of the Alpha Course. This course, which claims to provide an understanding of Christian principles, comprises a series of meetings to a specific format, each with a featured tape recorded lecture. The course has its origins in the evangelical side of the Church and, shall I say, does not meet with universal approval. It will have been a challenging project to undertake, and one whose results will, I am sure, be read with interest by many.

Russ has provided some photos and a description of a recent fire at our longest-established Chinese take-away shop.

Though we do see deer on at least the edge of the village I have to confess that this picture was taken in Windsor Great Park when I was reconnoitering for a walk I've been asked to lead - but I thought that I would include it anyway.

You may recall that a year ago I discussed St Anne’s church’s desire to build a new Church Centre to meet the current and future needs of society. The good news is that the local council have at long last granted planning permission, the bad news is that they have applied quite stringent constraints on what it can be used for. I earnestly hope that these will not scupper the project.

I normally use '@bigfoot.com' aliases for most of my email. Recently there have been a few problems and some emails have been bounced with a message that says that my address is invalid and/or that there is a permanent delivery error. I think I've tracked down the problem to a corruption in the forwarding address held by the server, and got it fixed. So if you got a bounce message, please accept my apologies and resend it.

From time to time I am able to link former friends who once lived in Bagshot. One correspondent suggested that I was almost like Friends Reunited. Hardly, but it is nice to know that I've been helpful. Incidentally, I respect privacy absolutely. If Jack asks to be put in contact with Jill, I will forward a message from Jack to the last email address Jill gave me. Whether Jill follows it up is up to her. Unfortunately, sometimes the email address I have is obsolete.

red rose hips Revisions to the website since the Easter newsletter include:

The description of the Archaeological Centre and the work that goes on there has been expanded.
Additions have been made to the page about changes in Bagshot
Also a few additions to the page 'about Bagshot'
I've reordered the Bagshot home page to make it more of a Bagshot portal with direct links to other non-commercial Bagshot sites.
There are some additions to the history of Bagshot.

In the general enquiries area:

Where was Failthe Lodge?
Bagshot Heath - Common or Crown land?
The date of the rebuilding of the Kings Arms has been narrowed down a bit more.
Dan wants to get a recording of what the Broadmoor sirens sound like.
Similarities between the Broadmoor siren and those at other hospitals have been noted.
The fourth White Hart inn has been identified and the legend of the White Hart resolved.
Memories of the bug hutch cinema.
More memories of the Duchess of Connaught's Memorial Nursing Home.
We have probably got to a definitive answer as to the whereabouts of Tilbury's store, complete with a photo of the 2004 usage of the property. One day I'll have to trawl through my old photos to see if the store appears in a picture of the street party held to commemorate the Queen's 25^th Jubilee.

In the family enquiries area

Margaret is looking for help to distinguish between The Cedars in Bagshot & Windlesham
An enquiry about Peter Burrows, the milkman and Heatherside Farm (which I forgot to mention last time)
Richard is looking for any contact with the York(e) family who owned the Yorkes Sweet Shop
Mary Ann Mason and James Puddle (circa 1820)

cartoon of a rake and sack of leaves With best wishes to you, and those you hold dear.
God Bless,
Neil
(webmaster)

home: Bagshot St Anne's Church

The opinions expressed here are those of the author, writing on his own behalf and not representing anyone else or any organisation.

ps: each time I do a mailing telling friends like yourself about one of these 'update' pages I get several bounce back as undeliverable because the intended recipient has changed their email address, and I have no way of knowing what it has changed to. So if you change your email please remember to put me on the list of people to tell if you want to keep in touch.